The effectiveness of artificial reefs for rehabilitation and production of fisheries in Iran

An artificial Reef is a fabricated, underwater structure, typically built for promoting marine life in areas of generally featureless bottom. Creating artificial reefs began from 2000 in southern provinces in Iran. This study has surveyed about the Bushehr and Khozestan states. The objective is to determine the effectiveness of artificial reefs in attracting and enhancing the production different aquatics through increasing of fish assemblage and fishery. The performance of artificial reefs deployed off the coast of the Persian Gulf in 10 to 15m, was evaluated. The reefs comprised of seven artificial and one control (natural) statistical tests plan in three replicates. Three types of artificial reefs were used in this study. That two were designed reefs and one was not designed or used material. The experimental plan consisted (i) Reef ball (R), designed hemispherical shaped; (ii) Laneh Mahi (L), designed pyramid shaped; (iii) Used material (U); (iv) mixed (RL); (v) mixed (RU); (vi) mixed (LU); (vii) mixed (RLU); and (viii) control site (CS). Trap nets and under-water visual census surveys were adopted for seasonal sampling of fish aggregation. Results of statistical analysis using ANOVA and T-test of the mean Catch per Unit Effort (CPUE) showed significant difference (p<0.05) in term of computing number of fish for aggregation of fishes. The study has concluded that reef deployments have influenced favorably the fish communities and fish harvests. Therefore, the artificial reefs, especially the mixed RLU, are appropriate tools for future fishing enhancement in the Persian Gulf of Iran

Edoxaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation

Contains fulltext : 125374.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Edoxaban is a direct oral factor Xa inhibitor with proven antithrombotic effects. The long-term efficacy and safety of edoxaban as compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation is not known. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy trial comparing two once-daily regimens of edoxaban with warfarin in 21,105 patients with moderate-to-high-risk atrial fibrillation (median follow-up, 2.8 years). The primary efficacy end point was stroke or systemic embolism. Each edoxaban regimen was tested for noninferiority to warfarin during the treatment period. The principal safety end point was major bleeding. RESULTS: The annualized rate of the primary end point during treatment was 1.50% with warfarin (median time in the therapeutic range, 68.4%), as compared with 1.18% with high-dose edoxaban (hazard ratio, 0.79; 97.5% confidence interval [CI], 0.63 to 0.99; P<0.001 for noninferiority) and 1.61% with low-dose edoxaban (hazard ratio, 1.07; 97.5% CI, 0.87 to 1.31; P=0.005 for noninferiority). In the intention-to-treat analysis, there was a trend favoring high-dose edoxaban versus warfarin (hazard ratio, 0.87; 97.5% CI, 0.73 to 1.04; P=0.08) and an unfavorable trend with low-dose edoxaban versus warfarin (hazard ratio, 1.13; 97.5% CI, 0.96 to 1.34; P=0.10). The annualized rate of major bleeding was 3.43% with warfarin versus 2.75% with high-dose edoxaban (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.91; P<0.001) and 1.61% with low-dose edoxaban (hazard ratio, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.55; P<0.001). The corresponding annualized rates of death from cardiovascular causes were 3.17% versus 2.74% (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.77 to 0.97; P=0.01), and 2.71% (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.76 to 0.96; P=0.008), and the corresponding rates of the key secondary end point (a composite of stroke, systemic embolism, or death from cardiovascular causes) were 4.43% versus 3.85% (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.96; P=0.005), and 4.23% (hazard ratio, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.05; P=0.32). CONCLUSIONS: Both once-daily regimens of edoxaban were noninferior to warfarin with respect to the prevention of stroke or systemic embolism and were associated with significantly lower rates of bleeding and death from cardiovascular causes. (Funded by Daiichi Sankyo Pharma Development; ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00781391.)